Saturday, December 25, 2010

Thanks to Mumbai Mirror, the story of Munnabhai-Dr. Zuber Qureshi working as Housemen (Entry level Resident Doctor in any Hospital) by masqureding as Dr. Meraj Shaikh,in Bombay Hospital for 6 long years has brought to light one Lacuna in Professionals ID. I am working as Consultant Doctor in Mumbai. Nowhere- from my 1st MBBS to MD certificates, Maharashtra Medical Council Registration Certificate- my Photograph is present. Its absolutely easy to do Identity Theft and work as Doctor. In absence of such a ID, how can one identify the Doctor or Lawyer, Tax Consultant,Architect etc. Bombay Hospital had no means to find out dr. Zuber's credentials. On top that, when it is difficult to get Resident Doctors for non-recognized posts, Bombay Hospital has no incentive to find out. Even for Post Graduate Posts and Admission, there is no Mechanism to detect identity theft when Candidate is from out of State, small Medical College. There are Medical Colleges, whose names most people have not heard in India. As a matter of fact, in Chennai, there is Medical College,attached to Deemed University, whose Undergrad(MBBS) and Post Grad. Medical Degrees are recognized by AMA of USA( To my knowledge it must be unique distinction). I heard about it in USA when my Medical College friend told me about it as his children were studying there!!.

Bombay Hospital has promised to check the credentials of all the candidates in future. They can do for Candidates who are Registered with Maharashtra Medical Council as we all carry MMC issued ID Cards-issued after allegation in High Court of Bogus Voting in Council Poll.!! But if someone Registers under friend's name who has migrated abroad,then how this problem can be solved ?.

This problem is not unique to India. Its prevalent in US as well. Remember the film 'This Boy's Life' starring Leonardo,where Toby Wolff falsify his records to gain admission. At Job level there are agencies which do background checks for the Companies,still someone slips through. For Resident Posts,such elaborate and costly checks are not possible. Whats the 'Motive' for such identity theft? In case of Bombay Hospital i can venture to guess that Free accommodation and Food with decent salary must be the reason-as was for most out of town Doctors coming to Mumbai. Here Free accommodation in South Bombay is worth all the trouble.!!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

In the Congress Plenary session,Sonia outlined road map to combat corruption and PM offered to face PAC as he has " Nothing to Hide". Yes we may be sure that PM and even Sonia is personally not corrupt. Corruption is difficult to control and no one in the world has achieved corruption free society. So offer of facing PAC for corruption will serve no purpose. If congress is clean-as it claims to be- than why not face JPC which will have Congressman as Head. Problem is JPC will probe all the aspects of 2G scam,especially role of Govt. and Parliament during allocation of spectrum.

What has bothered people tremendously is the fact that Telecom Minister Raja, Like Dushashan of Mahabharat fame, disrobed Draupadi( Indian nation) of 1.2lac Crore Rupees, in Darbar(Parliament). Like Bhisma,Drona, Dhutarastra, all kauravas and pandavas, Sonia,Manmohan,Pranabda,Congress,Sharad Pawar,NCP,BJP,Left,Laloo,Mulayam, saw and heard everything,PM even advised Dushashan not to do this dastardly act. But our Dushashan went ahead with disrobing Indian Nation and all these stalwarts watched,wringing their hands, chanting " Coalition Dharma". They ignored their basic Dharma of giving "Good Governance". Lord Krishna advised Arjun in Battlefield that he has to follow his "Dharma" and do his 'Karma', whatever the consequences. Congress-nay-all politicians and Parliamentarians did not follow their Dharma and failed us. If Sonia and PM could allow Raja to carry on corruption and look in other direction so that Govt. survives and power remains than how can you expect a Soldier to lay down his life for Nation or few miles of land at Border? he is expected to do so because that is his Dharma and Karma. If following Dharma results in Death so be it !

Democracy,Fundamental rights, all the laws have no meaning if there is no Good and Effective Governance. If one is forced to take job below living wages, he can hardly be expected to insist on Freedom of Expression or Right to Form Union. If there is good governance then people will ignore even violation of their fundamental rights for time being and allow growth to take place. If there is only corruption and bad governance than time is ripe for loss of faith in the Govt.& Democracy and result will be fascist violent end.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Last week i attended a wedding reception in North Gujrat. Now wedding reception is well planned event in most of the places. These days as most of the work is outsourced or handed over to Event Manager, Host need not worry about most of the preparations. Scenes from Film like "Monsoon Wedding" are passe. BBB would be more like it. In Gujrat, wedding receptions are usually held in open spaces called " Party Plots" and in most Towns,these are close to, rather adjoining one another so if one has to attend 3-4 wedding receptions,then there is no need to rush from one venue to another,find parking space( in Mumbai Valet parking has become 'Must' these days),stand in the queue to wish newly Wed and ensure that your presence is noted by the host- with "Blessings Only" this is first thing one has to do. But in Gujrat this hassle is absent. You can just walk across to another reception. If newly wed are still in Beauty Parlour, you need not fret and fume. Have dinner,walk across to next reception and have desert there. May be stroll in Dining area and decide where the spread is to ones liking and partake as per our personal choice.

One characteristic of Wedding in Gujrat is presence of a small Band and Singers. They sing Gujrati songs, Wedding songs suitable to the ritual taking place, Bollywood songs,Gazals-both Gujrati and Urdu. This practice is absent in receptions in south of Gujrat especially in Mumbai. We have our "Sangeet" on one evening but in reception there is no Band or Singing. Usually it is recorded Shehnai music. I have come across Instrumental music or Live Shehnai once in a while but dont remember singing part. Ofcourse Christian & Parsi weddings have the band and the dance. Here i am talking about Hindu wedding.

I think in Mumbai we must adopt this and have small band and couple of singers singing nice songs during wedding receptions. It has soothing effect and more people will seat in reception area enjoying music rather than rushing off to Dining area. These days more time is spent in Dining area then in reception area. With huge spread that we have it is but natural. It takes lot of time visiting 6-7 counters!! But good music and singing will make the mahol more interesting.